Fighter
by voicelord
Summary: Four Season Collection: During the bitter coldness of winter, a certain Uchiha survivor decided to pursue his well hidden emotions now that he's back but she seems to see him only as an old acquaintance. Sasuke x Sakura
1. retrospection

**Chapter 1: Retrospection **

Perhaps she had always been a healer from the start.

Even during her years of constant scrutiny by those who called her 'big forehead,' she had never resorted to violent tactics.

After all, Ino was the faithful one behind those aggressive antics.

_"You annoying little freaks! Leave Sakura alone!__" _

Fighting was something that never came easily to her.

Physical force was somewhat foreign and torture was out of the question. However, punching the daylights out of Naruto as many times as she liked was something that came naturally.

_"Sakura-chan! Just hit the enemies like you do to me!__" _

A stupid advice from a stupid friend she supposed.

But no matter how stupid her best friend may be, he would never amount to **her** standards even if he used all of his ramen loving life.

Wasn't she the foolish one who waited 3 years for the traitor?

_"A cherry blossom fades only during winter Sakura-san. You on the other hand have been denying spring the pleasure of admiring your youthfulness and beauty!__" _

As usual Lee-san managed to transform such a thoughtful sentence into a dramatic act that always sent her in a fit of giggles. Perhaps that was his intentions from the beginning? Nonetheless, his optimistic way of viewing the world had managed to change her cold winter to the season of spring, full of warmth and immense number of possibilities in store for her.

It appeared that youth did indeed prevail in the end.

_"I admire you for your inner strength Sakura-chan. You always seem to have more room to develop every day.__" _

Hinata-chan's warm green tea always soothed her down after her long hours of training and studying.

The day she had become the apprentice of the Hokage, her pride doubled after hearing the gentle words of the Hyuuga heiress.

Not to mention, the tea cookies that the Hyuuga household provided was absolutely high-quality, top notch stuff.

_"You__'re getting too troublesome woman. You__'re making the game too challenging now.__" _

Trust Shikamaru to take everything as annoying to the point where he simply should consider not breathing!

Now that the younger Uchiha was out of the picture, Sakura managed to balance her time to socialize as well as improve her skills.

Before, it had been always about asking Sasuke-kun out on dates. Who knew playing shogi with the intellectual lazy genius would be so much fun?

_"The late bloomers always turn out to be the most beautiful in the end.__" _

Neji-san had injured both of his hands up to the point where it could have been paralyzed.

Luckily, Sakura had been on duty during the monstrous hours of the night when the injured shinobi was ushered in by his teammates.

After fixing them like it had been nothing, he had sent her look of gratitude with those silent words of encouragement.

And her world of spring had transformed to the energetic season of summer.

_"I would like you to not only confine yourself to healing people. You are my apprentice after all, are you not? Strong medic-nins are needed in missions and battlefields. Think about it.__" _

When she had turned 15 years old, her sensei had managed to create another set of goals within her already crowded brain. Perhaps it may have been a passing comment but it stuck with her during that summer, diverting her attention to another aspect that needed improvement.

She was far from stopping.

_"I think you__'re the only girl I know who can be feminine and tough at the same time!__" _

That was what Sakura heard straight after her fist had come into contact with an unfortunate tree located near her vicnity; sending splinters towards TenTen.

The weapon mistress became her frequent sparring partner during her spare time.

She always managed to push her right to her limit every time they trained together. It always gave her a sense of fulfillment each time she took a shower to relieve her strained muscles.

Her summer had come to an end.

_"You are finally on the path to becoming a true kunoichi. I am very proud of you Sakura.__" _

Her autumn had been brief.

Perhaps it was because of all the missions she had participated in.

She remembered Kakashi-sensei saying that to her after one particular grueling mission. Her role had been both fighting and healing as always, which meant her chakra had been drained twice as much compared to the others. He had patted her head like he always used to, leaving a sense of serenity in the young kunoichi that day.

One can never grow too old for compliments.

_"Sakura, thank you.__" _

No, thank you Sasuke-kun.

Thank you for rejecting me. I might not have liked the person that I would have become standing next to you.

Thank you for insulting me. I would have never learned to listen to others if it wasn't for you.

Thank you for leaving. I might not have realized all these great people in my life if you had been there.

So, thank _you_.

And suddenly, winter had arrived.


	2. return

**Chapter 2: Return**

Winter was a season that always held a mixture of emotions.

It seemed to be the only season that caught you suddenly by surprise by its swift and quick appearance.

It always managed to give you feelings of regret for missing out the best possible scenarios of vibrant summer.

However, it also presented an opportunity to look back and start afresh. After all, winter was what triggered the new beginning for a certain pink-haired kunoichi of village of Konoha.

Somehow, the return of the cold snow created a time of contemplation for the 18-year-old ninja. Sakura gave a soft sigh as her _not-so-big-anymore_ forehead leaned against the cool surface of the hazy window. Her almost unnatural looking cherry locks slipped soundlessly behind her back, creating a soft barrier from the outside world. As the clock obliviously ticked away into the night, her delicate hand moved gracefully along the glass on its own accord.

The coolness contrasting greatly against her warm fingers.

She could see the flickering colours reflecting the fireplace, she could see the melted snow sliding down her window, and she could see the infinite darkness of the streets as well as the darkness in _his_ eyes.

There he stood, outside her cozy household, in the freezing snow.

Uchiha Sasuke; the prodigy with deadly sharigan, the once missing-nin, the _betrayer_, the **avenger**, her past teammate.

And amidst the endless layers of the icy element; the dark boy - no, a young man - stood with the same intensity in those unreadable raven eyes; just like the day he had left the village, left _her_.

But unlike those sorrowful years ago, emerald eyes regarded him in simple passivity; no sorrow, no regret, no desperation, no nothing.

It was, after all, no longer of her concern.

She no longer had the time in the world to humor his majorly _fucked-_up priorities.

Haruno Sakura no longer needed nor wanted the brooding ninja.

Perhaps it was ironic, considering that out of all the places he could be, the sole Uchiha survivor had chosen to place himself conveniently near her vicinity.

_But there was nothing for him here_.

Never once lowering her contemplating orbs, the petite kunoichi silently brought the warm cup to her waiting lips; relishing in the scent of cinnamon and coffee.

It had most definately been unexpected; his return to the village, that is.

Perhaps it was purely sensational, but once his foot stepped into the boundaries of Konoha it seemed to have hastened the depth of winter in a frantic pace.

The usually serene Hidden Leaf village had turned chaotic, off-duty ANBU members had been forced to report to the sight of such utter disturbance whereas those in jounin level were ordered to assist in the evacuation of civilians away from the public arena. It had indeed been a national emergency. Not only civilians were informed to stay indoors; lowly ranking and less experienced ninja were also ushered away with stern warnings to avoid the scene of confrontation. The beautiful medic had been immediately removed from the hospital; her best friend and self-proclaimed older brother Yuzumaki Naruto similarly kidnapped from the training grounds.

At first, both had assumed the village was under attack but when they met the serious expression of their ex-sensei as well as the uncharacteristically solemn artist; everything began to click in place.

The supposedly swift journey towards the Hokage tower had been the most heart-wenching experience.

Her heart hammering uncontrollably against her ribcage and the sudden sinking feeling at the pit of her stomach...

...It was only the comforting hold on her trembling hand and the encouraging grip on her shoulder blade that managed to just barely sustain the stunned kunoichi.

Her precious teammates, her brothers; her family.

It had reminded her once again why she loved them so.

And it comforted her in knowing that they would get through this; **no. matter. what.**

Hence, when emotionless emerald eyes first glanced at unmoving dark ones, she had felt absolutely _nothing_. Even when he stood with his arms and legs restrained with guards situated in every possible angle, there was no sense of urgency nor pity. They had passed all that.

Instead, a sense of weariness in knowing that his arrival would create a few complications was all that annoyed the powerful kunoichi.

And true to her assumptions; Tsunade-sama had been constantly bombarded by endless meetings for consecutive days up to date supplied by none other than the stuck-up elderly council, of course.

Honestly, sometimes they went too overboard with the procedures and the rituals.

Sakura would know since she had attended _every_ single one of them as the personal assistant and apprentice of the Hokage.

Sometimes, having inhuman strength did nothing to aid her in situations where crushing the lot of them would be considered mass murder.

Division was inevitable as accusations were thrown back and forth aggressively. Uchiha Sasuke was most fortunate that practically all of his previous comrades were situated in the upper levels of the ninja business. At that particular thought, the emerald-eyed kunoichi unconsciously stroked her upper arm that contained the marking of the ANBU. _Most fortunate indeed_.

And by the way the meetings were heading, it was apparent that Uchiha Sasuke would be emitted back into Konoha as a ninja once again.

How furious she had been when first informed of such a decision.

The very idea of allowing _him_ to roam the very grounds of her beloved village after all that had happened...

She had to forcefully bite into her lips in order to refrain from commencing with a screaming tantrum.

The gears of her brain had revolved and rotated with thoughts along the lines of 'would the council have come to the same decision if Naruto had done something similar?'

...Justice was indeed a very controversial, biased system.

Finally, narrowed emerald eyes turned away from unexpressive raven ones as she moved away from her balcony window.

Ignoring the familiar yet so foreign chakra signature persistently approaching her way; the young woman with cherry locks moved gracefully to the kitchen to put away her empty mug - not at all deterred by the unwanted intruder.

"Sakura."

She **felt** his presence, even before hearing or sensing him.

Without so much as a sound, her source of contemplation had invaded into her private sectors of sanctuary.

It was apparent the betrayer had used his highly developed skills to transport himself indoors.

...She needed to update her traps

"Haruno Sakura," a dark breath of a whisper...

But his deep voice did nothing to evoke a response from the silent kunoichi - her back still turned against him as she began washing up her used up plates.

It was obvious he had just come out of another extensive and elaborate meeting with the council elders.

It was the final gathering before the public announcement that would commence the very next morning.

Her muscles tightened when she sensed his continual approach towards her cozy kitchen.

After all these years and he was _still_ impatient.

It was only when she felt the air shift near her left shoulder that she finally moved. The ticking of the clock could not even keep up with her movement as seconds passed without any inclination of her attack. Her sleek kunai pressed not too gently against his throat. Clouded emerald eyes flashed slightly, shadowed by the warm glow of the fire.

He had grown tall.

"Uchiha." She hissed through clenched teeth.

That one word carried her deepest intentions and the equally silent male ninja could do nothing else but regard her critically as the weapon was strained mercilessly against his unprotected neck.

The message was clear; he was no longer welcome.

He was nothing but an intruder - nothing but a worthless little lost boy.

"...You will have my support tomorrow at the public meeting." With a quick flicker of her waist, the kunai retreated completely with the removal of her outstretched arm. A thin slice of crimson blood trailing down the length of his throat; the final warning to the sole Uchiha survivor. "But trust is another complete different matter."

As his form dissolved away into the night with a silent nod of affirmation, her gentle whispers was all that surrounded his retreating figure.

"May this be your final 'thank you'..."


	3. results

**Chapter 3: Results**

The village of Konoha was well known for its vibrant and busy streets.

It was always bustling with friendly people, frantic shopkeepers and eager consumers ready to purchase their daily goods.

But for the first time in many years, there was an uneasy erry atmosphere dwindling in the air.

And as Sakura stood in the front row of the outdoor arena; her blank eyes mindlessly looked through.

"Now, before the afternoon adjournment; could the previous team members of former ninja 012606 please step up to the front?"

_Pointless._

_Absolutely, utterly pointless. _

As if he had read her very thoughts, the silver-haired male tugged her cherry locks before stepped forth.

His retreating back looking almost regretful.

"First, we have Hatake Kakashi the famous copy ninja who has served Konoha for many years." The scratchy voice of an ancient council member croaked out once more. "Do you have anything to add to council before the decision is made?"

And hence, began the session of deception.

"Uchiha Sasuke is an exceptional ninja who will contribute immensely to Konoha."

Those hidden lips moved automatically; almost mechanic in their movement.

"His sharigan is definitely a rare gift. The ability to learn every technique is something that should not be over-looked."

_His lines were flawless. It was as if he had memorized them for years. It was most probable he did. _

_Skills. Ability. Unlimited potential. Prodigy. Always the god-damn brilliant and lucky one. _

"He is the type of ninja that Konoha needs. His loyalty, now on the right side, will not disappoint as you have all experienced in the current turn of events."

With a final nod, Kakashi-sensei stepped away from the front of the meeting hall.

His unconvered eye roaming one last time across the audience as if to determine who would support him - who would support this joke of a meeting.

Sakura could feel his gaze linger when he reached the remainder of Team 7; Sai, Naruto and herself.

...It was obvious the team did **not** have room for one more dysfunctional member. The current three were more than enough.

"Thank you. Will Uzumaki Naruto please step forward?"

It almost broke her heart when he reluctantly released his hold on her right hand.

The normal cheerful grin was no where to be found. Instead, clear blue eyes flashed in determination as the ninja with blonde spiky hair slowly drifted to where their former sensei had previously stood. Back no longer haunched over like during their younger days. But rather, he carried his broad shoulders like the leader he was born to become. His defined features captivated and ordered attention as complete silence befell upon the crowd. The immature prankster had finally grown into a capable young man. Sakura smiled in pride and responded to the gentle squeeze of Sai's hand situated in her left.

He would make a great Hokage someday.

"Uchiha Sasuke is difficult to get to know. He is not the most approachable person."

"But once you _do_ get to know him, you will find him to be a man of honour." He reluctantly began and admitted. "He will do his absolute best to fulfill his duty."

_A man of honour._

Those words stunned the petite kunoichi beyond belief - echoing continually in her head.

It drowned the next sequence of words as her sense fell deeper into the void darkness.

"I believe he should not be punished for doing something that he believed in. Something that has in the end, turned out to be beneficial for Konoha."

_So what he did is now considered to be honourable..._

Sakura took a sharp intake of breath at the swift pull back to reality. The entranced kunoichi had not heard the council calling her until both Naruto and Sai jolted her awake from her numb stupor. Even her ex-mentor was gazing down upon her, visibly worried and somewhat distressed. Forcefully applying pressure to her lips to formulate a smile of some sort; the emerald-eyed apprentice hesitantly moved forth.

It was finally her turn.

Her final words would conclude the meeting as well as the fate of the sole Uchiha survivor.

Bitterness was all that surrounded her.

_Honour. _

_She had always believed it was something that could escape your grasp in a matter seconds. _

_It was something she had to earn, after all. _

_It was something that had transformed her from her previous immature self. _

_It was something that he had lost when he left her unconscious that day. _

_It was something that he would need to rebuild. _

_...He was no honourable man in her eyes._

Her steps, so light, barely seemed to make contact with the solid ground. Her brilliant cherry locks swayed slightly as her movement created alterations within the air particles. She purposely lowered her eyes, dark thick lashes fanning against the smooth contours of her defined cheeks.

They concealed all from the prying eyes of the audience.

But when hidden emerald orbs did finally lift, the entire gathering was captivated by the sheer intensity; her striking features trapping the whole mass in complete silence.

It was only the parting of her supple lips that finally triggered the awakening.

"...Uchiha Sasuke is strong."

_So strong in fact, he used it to fulfill his vengeance. _

"Uchiha Sasuke is goal driven."

_He will never stop until he gets what he wants. _

"Uchiha Sasuke will have my support."

_But you do not have my trust. _

"I believe he is the perfect candidate to serve Konoha as a ninja once again."

_The perfect tool that can be used to kill. Konoha__'s perfect little killer. _

It was decided.

* * *

The party was supposed to celebrate his return into Konoha.

Instead it turned out to be a drunken chaotic mess. His blonde-haired rival had been clinging onto him while repeating the same sentence over and over again, all the while drooling. _Stupid idiot_.

It took a couple of hours for the drunken tirade of the fox demon to subside - the initial stage consisting of flabby movements of the arms that resembled a very bad attempt at punching.

After a few quick misses followed by 'Uchiha-bastard' and 'Fucking stuck-up imbecile,' the blonde had supposedly forgave him and was next trying to tackle him into a messy hug.

..._The unchanged fool_.

After **finally** getting rid of the epitome of stupidity, the resurrected ninja took his time to observe his surroundings; a strong drink at hand.

His eyes, at its darkened state, captured the faces of his old acquaintances.

It appeared that practically everyone he knew were either jounin or ANBU.

It was only after the tedious council meeting, that the anti-social ninja was surrounded by familiar faces that sprouted meaningless conveyances.

Even he could detect the rigidity in their mannerism, most desperate to get the interaction done and over with.

And luckily for them, the Uchiha was past caring.

He didn't give a _shit_ as to what others thought of his unexpected return. _Their congratulations meant absolutely nothing_... They were pointless unless it was either from his former perverted sensei, the idiotic blonde or the pink haired beauty.

But just as he had suspected, it seemed he would not be receiving either of the three just yet.

Temporarily suppressing the sudden rise of annoyance at the back of his mind, he spent the rest of the evening remaining hidden in the abandoned corner of the bar.

But as he gulped down the bitter liquid in one quick swig, dark eyes fixated upon the exotic features of his former female teammate.

_Haruno Sakura._

With considerably brightened emerald eyes in comparison to during the council meeting, she was animatedly conversing with the Hyuuga's timid cousin.

Those few years had indeed been very good to her. Long cherry locks twisted in a simple yet appeasing way coupled with flawless features... The petite woman was undeniably quite slim, but her lean structure warned of a deadly combination. During his stay in Sound, he had heard greatly of the newest apprentice of the Hokage who was not only deemed to be one of the most brilliant medics in all times; but also the most dangerous due to the deadly technique that could create craters and destroy entire buildings with a single punch of the fist.

The young, capable woman who stood not too far from where he currently remained hidden was no longer the little girl who needed his protection.

She no longer wanted nor desired his guidance.

Instead, the stunning woman who had fulfilled the promise of support; regarded him in weary caution.

Despite the fact that she was at _his_ party that celebrated _his_ return, she no longer saw him.

The young kunoichi whose eyes that had once filled with love, were now staring at him with distrust. She did not trust him anymore. It was so _fucking_ obvious. It radiated from her whole being.

And as much as it hurt to admit, it was worse than being forever branded as the traitor.

...Utter annoyance was an under statement.

"Tsunade-sama wants you to become ANBU," a voice interrupted from behind, a glint of silver which was all that was needed. "You will be under constant surveillance for the next few years."

"Even when you do become ANBU, you will not be sent on solo-missions. The allocated members will be required to make reports on you after every mission."

He chose not to reply back, knowing all too well that it would be useless.

After all, it wasn't a suggestion or even that of an advice. It sounded definitely like an order. Uchiha Sasuke did **not** enjoy being ordered around.

"You will take a private examination tomorrow, Sasuke. Don't be late," and with those demanding words, the sharigan-user was greeted with the distancing back of his former sensei.

Drowning down the final glass of the liquor, he pushed away from the neglected corner; intent on leaving as soon as possible.

But as the darkened features of the Uchiha focused to locate the exit, they once again locked on to the shade of cherry blossoms - obviously distancing away from his vision.

Perhaps it was the alcohol.

Maybe it was just him or even a combination of both the mind-altering substance and himself.

But whatever the reason, he found himself automatically retrieving her every step; just as she had done all those years ago.

Ignoring the crowds of insignificant others, he was almost instantly out of the dimly lit function - landing amidst the coldness of the snow.

It was still winter...

And it continued to snow as his rough hand - _the hand of a killer_ - clasped onto the warm smaller ones.

They were long and slim under his touch, the hand of a healer. The snow continued downwards even when she finally turned to face him. But it was her chilling words that drove him further into the gaping hole of infinite darkness.

"Let go of me, Uchiha."

Such a simple command that he could have easily followed.

All he had to do was unclasp his desperate grip. He just had to let go... He only needed to step back, just as he had done all those years ago. After all, it was his turn to watch her back.

But his body refused to heed to the rational logic of the mind.

"Why?" The hoarse question penetrated the barrier.

And at the same time, it was a perfectly reasonable question.

Why would he want to let her go when she was the only source of warmth on this freezing night; the ray of hope amidst his hellish and worthless existence...

"...Because a honourable man would have," with a quick twist of the wrist, she was gone.

He could merely watch as she escaped into the night.

A small flicker of warmth spreading throughout the previously occupied hand.

It brought forth a sense of dread for he knew the welcoming sensation would dissipate sooner rather than later.

He clenching his fists together in hopes of preserving the briefest moment of time.

Even after all these years, she still seemed to have an effect on him...

"But I was never honourable in the first place, Sakura."

His silent whispers descended with the snow.


	4. release

**Chapter 4: Release**

With a splitting cry, the ground crushed around the unfortunate blonde ANBU member.

He was bombarded by the unforgiving nature of the disrupted snow as they pounded from all different directions, temporarily blocking his vision.

Evading them would have been a breeze if his muscles didn't feel like they were being burned down with liquid fire.

The self-proclaimed Hokage threw himself side ways, barely managing to evade the sharp rain of kunai descending upon him.

"It was an accident, I swear! I'm sorry, Sakura-chan!" The young ninja desperately tried to escape this with his life intact. "Have mercy on the poor ramen-deprived soul!"

All Naruto could do was force himself to beg and grovel for mercy - screw dignity and sense of pride.

Suddenly blazing emerald eyes softened impeccably, the murderous snarl also being replaced by a huge grin. It momentarily gave him false hope that he would survive for another day.

_Women and their unpredictable ways..._

But as soon as the unsuspecting blonde relaxed and laughed along with her, he found himself flying across the field with all his breath swishing out of body as a throbbing pain exploded in his abdomen.

_Interesting_... somehow he had ended up sailing in a diagonal angle...

So very interesting...

He may not be the brightest, but Naruto was pretty certain the current position of his elevated body could **not** be a good thing.

"That will teach you to walk in when I am taking a shower, you pervert!"

The ferocious scream boomed across the training ground as her inhuman punch had him skidding across the deeply rooted forest; bringing down with him a substantive number of plantations.

...Gravity was his newest enemy up to date.

And the rest of the ANBU members merely shrugged at the familiar sight of trees crushing down as the blonde idiot once again managed to fly all the way across the training field in less than a second.

At this rate, their training area would turn into a desert due to the alarming decreasing numbers of forestry. Sakura's punches were turning out to be much too destructive for anyone to handle.

Women were just _too_ freaking scary.

An unspoken agreement reached the rest of the male members as they stared at the retreating figure of an infuriated kunoichi.

"I'd have to say you deserved that one, Naruto," commented the canine-master while he roughly brushed his unruly hair aside.

"...Nice going, dickless." The silent artist remarked.

An unreadable smile was plastered on Sai's emotionless face as he eyed at the battered member lying crippled on the cold ground covered in snow.

"You're not helping, Kiba. And shut da _hell_ up_,_ you freakin bastard." With a moan of desperation Naruto doubled over in pain, finding no comfort as he just barely whined out his response.

Death only sounded too good to be true.

A place where little angels would shoot arrows made out of chewy, **delicious**, _mouth-watering_ ramen instead of those pointless heart-shaped arrows. Hinata-chan would definitely be there with him, of course. Sakura-chan he would definately need to think about. It would have a nice training field like this one, with lots of trees that were not broken down because a certain 'someone' would not punch another certain someone in Heaven.

In the training ground, which was situated in Heaven of course, would contain his other faithful comrades. The dark-haired bastard would also be..._wait a minute_..?

A dark-haired bastard? Why the _hell_ would Sasuke be in _Heaven_? The sheer injustice!

"You are **not** coming to Heaven with me!" With a ferocious scream, Naruto sprang up from his previous position to halt Heaven's most fateful mistake of the century.

Another deadly punch was all he received in reply.

This time, the rest of the ANBU members watched the retreating figure of an obviously irritated Uchiha survivor as the blonde crushed to the ground like a sack of potatoes once again.

At least his punches wasn't destructive enough to be of much an issue.

"...Maybe you didn't deserve _that_ one."

Kiba definitely had a sick sense of humour.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

It was not Sasuke's day today.

_First I am unceremoniously kicked off from my own bed. _

Once again, it was **not** Sasuke's day today.

_Stupid pervert forces me to take the ANBU examination at 5am in the freaking morning! _

He had obviously passed without so much as a scratch in sight but that was beside the point.

To top it off, he was sent off to train with the rest of the ANBU members only to find them lounging around.

And not forgetting the finale, the sharigan user finds the most _idiotic_ human being to have ever inhibited this planet suggest that _he _- the sole surviving Uchiha member - was going to die and that he was not going to Heaven.

_So far, it definitely was a shitty day. _

His silent declaration followed another set of curses as he narrowly missed a destructive blow.

Who in God's name would be dumb enough to attack him, _the_ Uchiha Sasuke?

Safely perched on top of a particularly sterdy branch and with a look of pure annoyance, a full murderous glare was shot towards the culprit.

"My apologies, Uchiha. I thought you were Naruto."

It was _pink_, a brilliant shade of pink. And in an instance, his darkened features transformed to that of untouchable passivity. There she stood with an unreadable look of her own. His sharp eyes swiftly took in her appearance, drinking in her presence as he allowed the offending 'thought-you-were-Naruto' comment to slide for now.

She was a small delicate being who barely reached his collarbones in height. She was surprisingly petite considering her status but he definitely detected the lean muscles that adjourned her body.

It was no exaggeration in suggesting that she had matured into a strikingly beautiful young kunoichi. Her body had all the right curves, accentuating her hips and chest - her current choice of attire increasing such level of appeal to a heightening degree. A red tank top covered by an even tighter jacket suitable for both training as well as the freezing weather. A set of black ribbons surrounded her winter jacket, fluttering flirtatiously in the oncoming wind. Her black cargo pants displayed a glimpse of her long legs and her forehead protector was secured around her hips as a substitute of a belt. Her black boots reached just up to her kneecaps just beneath the end of her pants.

All in all, it was impossible to deny the physical appeal of the cherry blossom; standing there alone in the winter land.

"...Is something the matter?"

Her firm tone snapped his train of thought as the outwardly stoic ninja directed his attention back to her face.

He could tell she was either annoyed or confused as indicated by her tightly drawn lips. Her emerald eyes locked fiercely with raven ones while her cherry locks clung gently against her light complexion.

It appeared she enjoyed tying it into a messy bun rather than letting it loose like she used to - like she had done as a child.

The sudden thought brought a slight frown upon the face of the young Uchiha as it reminded him once again the undeniable implication that Haruno Sakura and team 7 were no longer what he had acquainted himself to.

_Nothing was like it used to be._

And yet, all three members were too young to let go of the past. Even worse, they were not old enough to face the oncoming future events alone. _Alone._ A bitter sensation plagued the avenger's senses as he tried to find any trace of the past lingering in her features. But alas, everything she had ever represented, everything she had been; was no longer there.

"Uchiha, are you alright?" Her tone had lessened to a much gentle caress. Obvious was her still-intact kind and giving nature.

After all that has occurred, she was still worried about his well-being; she was _still_ worried about _him_.

Eyeing the deep impressions of her steady footsteps amidst the pure white snow, the stoic Uchiha made sure to conceal his initial surprise at the proximity - his outer appearance never once betraying his inner turmoil.

She was so close. She was **too** close.

Haruno Sakura, the former weakest member of the notorious team 7. She had been the one that everyone needed to protect. But it had been a task that both males had taken quite seriously. She may have been unskilled, but she had been _theirs_. She had been theirs to protect and theirs to fight for. And in some twisted way, that innocent little girl had been what held the deformed monsters together all those years.

She had loved them. She had loved him. She had loved her dear little _Sasuke-kun_.

The kunoichi with bright emerald eyes had been the symbol of love that the lone Uchiha had always craved for - the contact, the affection he had been deprived of from a young age.

The unconditional emotion that had radiated from her entire being...

Her love had been all that of purity in his unforgiving realm of vengeance and hatred. She had been the unmoving dedicated one who he could depend on. She was the only one who contributed in sustaining his sanity for so long, she was the one who allowed him to relax once in a while and she was the one who could distract him momentarily from the cruel harsh world of reality.

Perhaps she had even been the one who made his return back to Konoha somewhat bearable.

How he had desired to consume her in his infinite darkness; even though she had never loved _him_.

After all, how can you love someone who didn't even exist in the first place?

...And _that_ had been the problem.

Her precious Sasuke-kun never was... And never had been.

Unfortunately, such love was no longer of use to him. Perhaps it had satisfied his appetite during his childhood years but now, it would never be enough. He wanted her. He wanted her to love _him_.

And as selfish as it sounds, he wanted her to love Uchiha Sasuke - the fucked up mess with all his obsession, his imperfections and the insecurities.

Her past affections for little Sasuke-kun was no longer sufficient.

But dark orbs widened slightly at the unexpected contact of warm flesh and inviting chakra.

Rather than standing back and doing nothing, the skillful ANBU medic had taken matters into her own hands by quickly conducting an internal scan of the rigid ninja. Her signature chakra flooded his system, gracefully intertwining with his own ones in a striking intricate dance.

And all the years of torment, the betrayal, the solitude, the regret, the guilt; dissolved as his body instinctively relaxed for the first time in years.

"There seems to be nothing wrong with your chakra system," she quietly noted to herself. Her features visibly worried. "Are there any injuries I should be aware of?"

Slightly disgusted with himself for feeling satisfied at her expression of concern he, nevertheless, did nothing to step away from the welcoming touch.

But when emerald eyes ascended to stare into dark raven ones in a questioning manner, it sent the biggest blow to his gut as the Uchiha sharply inhaled.

_Her eyes._ Those jade like orbs. They were what disturbed him the most. They were still bright and full of life. They were still the light colour of the precious gem. Despite all she went through, they still appeared to flicker with a touch of innocence and optimism. But they were no longer open for the world to see.

He could no longer read them.

Her beautiful emerald eyes were now enclosed in a barrier.

She no longer bared her heart in a silver platter as she had always done.

It was now locked away from the influences and manipulations of the external world.

It was concealed away from him.

The newfound air of secrecy and mystery...

And the irony was that here he was, finally ready to live up to the name of Uchiha Sasuke. But she was already a few paces ahead; showing him nothing but her back.

Letting out a silent sigh of frustration, unmoving lips involuntarily spoke the two fateful words.

"...You've changed."


	5. real

**Chapter 5: Real **

The welcoming intrusion was indeed a pleasant wake-up call.

As the sunlight gently stirred the rosette woman from her peaceful slumber, emerald eyes slowly revealed themselves as Sakura allowed a content sigh to escape moist lips.

Despite the apparent cold weather, it looked to be a promising day.

With a soft smile gracing upon her face, the slightly disoriented kunoichi gently opened her bedroom windows to greet the crisp sensation of the morning air. The sight that beheld her was breath taking as always. The silent village of Konoha was covered in thin layers of snow, almost twinkling under the reflections of the morning sun.

Winter was almost coming to an end as indicated by the gradual increase in temperature.

Decisively pleased with such a fact, Sakura gently lowered herself to lean fully against the edge of her window sill as she began planning her day.

There was an important operation that she was leading this afternoon. Even though she was a specialised ANBU, the pretty medic continued in her position as the head of the hospital department as well as Tsudane-sama's valued apprentice. She always made sure to help around in the hospital for important matters such as these.

Perhaps she would have breakfast with Ino and Hinata-chan before preparing for the morning operation?

Sai was also going to be away for the next few days for his solo mission.

If she was lucky the operation should finish fairly quickly. It meant the petite kunoichi could have dinner with Naruto and Lee-san as they always do on Wednesdays.

The last particular thought made her giddy with anticipation for she had not seen them in 2 weeks due to an escorting mission they had been assigned to.

It was unfortunate that both ninjas with amazing skills had been assigned such a boring mission, but the particular individual that needed protection was a loud, obnoxious, _thinks-he-is-so-high-up_, politician who had demanded he had the best service. _The pompous freak._ He had been demanding and difficult to satisfy.

He insisted he wanted four top ANBU members but in the end, Tsunade-sama managed to convince him that three would suffice.

The mere thought of such a coward nearly ruined Sakura's morning as a slight frown coloured her features, but it soon turned to that of thoughtfulness as her thoughts drifted to the third member of the escorting mission.

_Uchiha Sasuke._

Her features softened to that of humour, remembering his reaction when he found out his first mission as ANBU consisted of "baby-sitting idiots who will die in the end anyway" as he kindly deduced during the mission briefing. Luckily, Naruto managed to somewhat distract him by initiating a pointless verbal battle as they normally do.

After a month or two, Sasuke seemed to be more comfortable around his comrades as well as the village citizens.

With another sigh, her window was firmly shut as Sakura proceeded in carrying on with her morning tasks. While heading towards the bathroom to take a quick shower her thoughts sprang forth, as abstract thought patterns always seemed to do, to the fateful encounter on that cold afternoon.

"..._You've changed_."

Of course, that was to be expected.

Uchiha wasn't _that_ out of tune with his emotional side to not notice that. But what surprised her was what he had concluded after that short little comment.

"_I'm sorry_..." Sorry for what specifically?

"..._I was never the boy you had loved and I was never the boy you believed me to be_."

...You are Uchiha Sasuke, are you not?

"_I could never be that person_... _I could never be **your** Sasuke-kun_..."

"_Don't make the same mistake of assuming that I'm that same person. I've changed too, Sakura_."

Surprise was an under statement.

She had not realized that _he_ had looked so deep into their relationship if what they previously had could be called one.

After all, it took her a few years to realize that her 'crush' was that of admiration and childish infatuation, not that of genuine love between a man and a woman.

It had taken her a long time to grasp such a concept but in the end, it had turned out to be the best. But when Sasuke had returned back to Konoha after finalizing his sworn revenge, she had been one infuriated kunoichi. Rationality had left in an instant when she had come face to face with him.

There he had been standing stoically in the entrance gate as if he had every right to be there; clutching onto a bloodied cloak belonging to the one and only, Uchiha Itachi.

His expressionless eyes merely scanned across the crowd as he stepped further towards the grounds of Konoha.

She did not regret acting cautiously around him since he was partially to blame for the failure in their friendship/relationship. His stuck-up attitude of degrading others and never opening up had been a major factor and his sudden appearance had triggered the emergence of unwanted past events that had been partially buried at the back of her mind. Endless sleepless nights, the wasted hours spent on waiting and wishing for him to come back while crying her eyes out, as well as wondering what had went wrong.

She had constantly blamed herself for being the weak one after he had left but there he had stood, with **no** glimpse of guilt or sorrow.

Remembering all those times she had wasted over him had enraged her to a point where she would have labeled it as equally matching Naruto's determination to become Hokage and Sasuke's obsessive thirst for vengeance.

She remembered having to bite her tongue forcefully in order to stop the merciless words swirling at the tip of her tongue.

Liar_. Traitor. **Murderer**._

That had been the first time her heart had been poisoned by the dark forces of human nature.

Not even during her most grueling missions had she felt such intense emotions against the enemies.

Sakura knew feelings of betrayal and hatred were normal responses considering what she had to go through the past few years.

But she would have never guessed how overwhelming and dangerously controlling it could be.

The sudden dark thoughts saddened the emerald-eyed kunoichi as she stepped into the shower.

But what was a girl supposed to do in such situations? Cry while running into the arms of her 'Sasuke-kun' and have her integrity shredded into tiny little pieces? That would have been like repeating the unthinkable aspect of her childhood all over again and it was undeniable that he had deserved at least _some_ of her cold treatment.

The warm droplets of water instantly relaxed her muscles as she slowly began washing her cherry locks; gently closing her eyes as another familiar sentence echoed in her mind.

"_Don'__t make the same mistake of presuming that you know me, Sakura_."

And indeed, after their encounter, both had come to a silent agreement.

Their relationship was still not something she considered as 'friendship' in the way she termed the bond with those such as Naruto and Sai.

But there was no hostility, no misconceptions, no mistrust, or that of awkwardness. Just as he had acknowledged the changes in her, she finally realized the changes in him. The way he had handled the situation was evidence enough. And she did not mind his silent company and he didn't seem to mind her presence either.

Their encounters could be called as somewhat pleasant.

He definitely conversed more and turned out to be quite the comedian with his sarcastic comments, which surprisingly **did** make people laugh.

It was amazing to see that the once cold stoic boy had developed some sense of humour. But most importantly, the major improvements consisted of him no longer belittling her as he had always done in the past. She no longer annoyed him with pointless requests to go out on dates.

He no longer disconnected her from his world. She no longer smothered him with unnecessary attention.

While one had been too withdrawn to a fault, the other had been too forthcoming. But they had finally balanced their relationship to that of equilibrium. Both had finally grown up.

The gentle smell of cherry blossoms entered into her system as she began scrubbing herself with her favourite soap.

But there was always the lingering sensation as if there was something of the past worth hanging onto.

She sometimes caught him looking at her with an expression that closely resembled that of reminisce or possibly even regret. She sometimes found herself looking at him with thoughts that could be best described as 'forgiven yet not forgotten.'

It was as if something was still a little off in their 'acquaintence' but of course, this _was_ Uchiha Sasuke that she was talking about.

Anything and everything to do with that man would be just plain weird if it did not include a bit of complications. It was undeniable that he was still a mystery. Perhaps their whole relationship was that of utter confusion Nevertheless, Uchiha Sasuke was one heck of a disorientated puzzle and seemed too much of a hassle to fit the pieces together.

..._A confusing hassle indeed_.

With a snort of amusement, Sakura proceeded on with her morning routines.

* * *

Just a few more miles and he would be free from dumb and dumber.

Dark raven eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared that his two comrades as they proceeded on doing what they were supposedly born to do.

...Annoying the _hell_ out of him with remarks on ramen and pointless lessons on youth.

The politician was bad enough and here he was stuck with these two members, out of all of the ANBU available in Konoha.

He somehow got the feeling that this was some sort of punishment from the old hag - a sadistic attempt at dishing out revenge for his past disobedience.

If it was, then he _definitely_ got the point.

"Man, I can't wait until we get back!"

'_My thoughts exactly_.' Sasuke remarked darkly at the back of his mind, sarcastically agreeing with his hysterical comrade.

Unaware of the dark aura being emitted by their silent comrade, Lee met Naruto's enthusiasm beat to beat. His hyperactivity bringing another painful headache to a certain individual as the freakish-green-idiot screamed out his response in excitement.

"Yes, hope you didn't forget today is Wednesday, Naruto." The eccentric young male proclaimed. "Youthfulness shall once again prevail for we will go out for dinner with Sakura-san!"

At the mention of a certain individual's name, Sasuke's murderous thoughts subsided momentarily as he allowed himself to linger on the topic of his choice. Haruno Sakura.

He had to admit that he was satisfied with how their relationship had progressed over the past few days.

She was no longer discomforted in his presence, which was a good start. He would make sarcastic comments, she would retort back in some way or another until they fell into a comfortable rhythm of a friendly banter.

Surprisingly, he had expected her to beat the crap out of him back at the training grounds those fateful days ago.

Considering all he had put his teammates through, such a reaction would not have been out of the ordinary.

After all, he definitely had **issues**. And growing up in a household with high expectations and a brother like Itachi had indeed turned out to be hazardous to his overall psyche.

He had craved the unconditional love and attention that Itachi seemed to receive even just by the way he breathed.

Sasuke had wanted to make his father swell with pride. He had wanted her mother to fret over him before each mission.

The youngest Uchiha had wanted all those things that lingered and floated so very close to him each day.

And receiving such unconditional love was something so very foreign to him. Hence, when he was actually confronted by such a situation in a bundle of pink and green, he had _panicked_. Why would she give up everything just for _him_? What was so special about him? Was it simply because he was an Uchiha? Was it because he was the younger sibling of Uchiha Itachi?

Confusion was all that he could remember during his childhood years.

...But now, he was proud to pronounce that he was no longer the same boy.

He knew who he was. _He was Uchiha Sasuke_. He knew what he wanted. _He wanted all those things he had taken for granted_. He was no longer the same unstable little boy that he had been all those years ago and thus, he would stake his claim.

He would stake his claim over the kunoichi with soft cherry locks.

She still didn't intentionally seek out his companionship. But that was going to change soon enough. After all, Sakura had done all the chasing in the past, hadn't she? This time he would be the one in charge. With an amused smirk appearing in his stoic face, he quickened his pace as a familiar route revealed itself as well as a particular familiar individual.

Her white medical robe covered her entire form, engulfing her in white.

Her long pink hair had been tied in a loose ponytail and he could see her eyes brighten to a lighter shade of green as she spotted them, enhancing her already stunning features.

_'It was probably because she saw Naruto and Lee__'_ Sasuke darkly reminded to himself.

"Sakura!" Naruto yelled as he bolted to lessen the remaining distance, crushing the petite kunoichi in a tight bear hug. Laughter erupted as they somehow managed to tumble onto the cold ground.

Between giggles and chuckles, Sakura managed to just barely squeeze out her warm greeting. "Hey guys! I hope all of you didn't get into too much trouble?"

"Besides finding toilet paper in the middle of a forest for that stupid prick of a politician? Nothing much," replied Naruto, refusing to untangle himself from his self-proclaimed baby sister.

Lee was instantly by her side, providing her with the support needed to disengage herself from the persistent blonde, giving her a less dangerous version of an affectionate gesture. "Do not listen to him Sakura-san. It appears that he has conveniently forgotten to mention that he provided poison ivy as substitution on purpose!"

Sasuke smirked at that particular memory of the fateful mission of hell. And Naruto quick to transfer the accusations.

"Hey! You weren't that much better either bastard! Did you know Sakura, that a beehive fell on top of the prick's head because Sasuke _accidentally_ knocked it off the tree branch? Accident my ass!"

Sakura let out another laughter of amusement as her eyes glittered in humour.

She presented a mischievous smile at the culprit. "Looks like you got more than you bargained for, Uchiha."

"Hardly. The bastard was asking for it." He remarked swiftly with a hint of satisfaction lingering in his smirk.

"...Let's go and have dinner, my treat since my operation ended successfully and you guys are back!" With that declaration, Naruto and Lee frantically scrambled off to their respectable apartments in order to change and freshen up.

But before disappearing from Sasuke's keen eyes, Naruto's shouts bounced off his eardrums straight into his already sensitive nervous system.

"Hey bastard! You better come and have ramen with us as well! You're not getting off that easily!"

If Sasuke had been surprised by the invitation to their 'traditional' night out, he did not show it even when Sakura pushed him towards the direction of Tsunade-sama's office with another laughter of amusement.

"Go on, off with you. Hand in the mission report and meet us at Ichiraku after you clean up. You smell."

Finding such a comment not worth retorting back, Sasuke made his way to the Hokage's office. Besides, he needed to make sure that the old hag does not put him in another mission with those two.

"Hey!"

Before he could continue another step further, the sudden disruption made him rotate around to face the source with an expectant look upon his face. She better not be commenting on his hair. He could take the your-body-stinks comment but his hair was another complete different matter.

"...Welcome back."

Sakura's soft voice momentarily stunned the stoic shinobi as he relished in the feelings of contentment. _He was finally home. _

"Ah."


	6. ramen

**Chapter 6: Ramen**

It was _the_ life.

After all, Uzumaki Naruto had it all. He had the skills, he had the status, he had the reputation, he had his girl, and he just had his share of beautiful luscious ramen.

If he was to die tomorrow, he would die a happy man.

With a loop-side grin on his already cheerful face, Naruto proceeded to observe his surroundings with a look of pure contentment spread across his sky blue eyes.

Of course, five bowls of miso-ramen would naturally do that to a person.

As he half-listened to Lee chattering away like a maniac, briefing the _ever-so-boring-mission-of-the-century_, Naruto merely took the time to drink in the serene atmosphere.

...After all, team seven was finally back.

And he would make sure that things were to stay this way for good.

Naruto did **not** want to make the same promises with Sakura, _twice_. Of course, it was questionable whether or not Sakura would make the exact same promise if the bastard left once more. After all, she no longer pined over the prodigy as she had done in the past.

But the question remained, would she break down once more?

Would her heart shatter beyond recognition? Would the salty tears adjourn her face and would her eyes loose its sparkle?

_Is she still in love with him? And worse yet, if not, would she fall in love once again?_

As far as Naruto was concerned, he was not going to take the chance nor the risk.

He did not wish to see his best friend/self-proclaimed baby sister break down to a pitiful empty shell. Once was more than enough. The anger, the despair, the frustration, the helplessness…

After all that Sakura had gone through, Naruto swore upon every fiber of his being that he would make sure she was to never fall into such depth…

_Never again…_

And with the unevitable snap, his wooden chopsticks shattered into tiny splinters, scattering about and around the table.

Letting out a shaky breathe Naruto forced himself to remove the raging chakra from his tightly clenched hands. Luckily, Lee and Sakura were busy sharing stories on his right, too deeply focused upon their task at hand to notice the momentary passing of intense, blazing eyes.

_Never again…_

Tightly clenching his jaws to a firm grim, Naruto managed to calm himself down before facing the occupant on the seat on his left - the notorious Uchiha Sasuke.

The prodigy blessed by the family genes of sharigan, the hypnotic scarlet eyes that haunted many with a single glance. His natural distaste for social events perhaps enhanced this image a lot more then that of Naruto's liking.

_But this bastard was also his friend of many years._

Sasuke, Sakura and himself, were and will continue to be, teammates for years to come. Their countless missions, their constant bickering, and their rivalry that would hopefully last until the very end.

The separation had been trialing for all three in different ways, in which one had been forever waiting; one had been forever hiding whereas one had been forever running.

But all three had finally grown up and realized that the world still continued to revolve even when the three of them were no longer together.

Perhaps this had assisted in bringing them back together once more?

Naruto tasted the places outside the hidden village of Leaf as he trained with the perverted Jiraiya-sama, Sakura remained constant while training under the wing of the old hag, and Sasuke had fallen into the mist that covered the true meaning behind power. As Naruto slowly learned to control and accept the demon inside him, Sakura embraced the once dormant self within her while Sasuke learned that snakes did indeed poison all their preys.

But after all this, they had managed to find their way back to each other - still the same and yet so very different.

It bordered on that line of uncertainty, constantly striving for balance.

And this had definitely bothered Naruto since the day Sasuke re-entered their lives.

Something was definitely different, and it had the potential to break up team 7 once more…

_It was now or never._

"You know bastard, now that you've obtained the first part of your goal when are you going to initiate the second?" He casually asked with half-lidded eyes.

"…"

The young man in question appeared unfazed but Naruto knew better.

"I need to know your intentions, Sasuke. Don't think that I don't notice the way you look at **her**," the blonde ANBU member darkly murmured while he toyed with a new set of chopsticks provided by the baffled owner.

Maybe it was the way Sasuke stopped in a matter of seconds or maybe it was the way his posture turned rigid under watchful eyes but whatever the reason; Naruto felt relieved for the first time since the day the bastard returned back to Konoha.

It relieved him unimaginably that the stoic prodigy actually _cared_ - that he actually was aware of it all.

"I don't know what the fuck goes around in your head and…_wait a second._ Screw that! I don't even want to know any of the sick twisted shit that happens to be inside your head. You can be brain-dead for all I care!" Naruto argued with himself almost in a comical manner. But the next sentence was anything but comical.

"…But it does concern me if it affects Sakura-chan in any way," he breathed out darkly. "I suggest you think _carefully_ before you act, Sasuke."

And with those final words the blonde attacked the newly arrived sixth bowl of ramen with the usual grin plastered on his face, as if nothing had occurred in that few minutes prior to the meal.

Never allowing his gaze to falter, the stoic Uchiha avenger eyed his 'best friend' steadily.

He knew the blonde idiot well enough to realize that the creative threatening method was something that he was not to overlook.

Sasuke watched the pink-haired kunoichi at the corner of his eye as she began consuming her own bowl of ramen while animatedly conversing with the 'green-beast'.

...He had already established the fact that Sakura was no longer the same girl from their past.

She had matured, she had grown up and she no longer 'fantasized' falsifications about him. She had now broken free of the fantasy world that she had once created…

He himself had also matured…he had grown up and he no longer was driven by the blood-thirsty desire for revenge. To gain something one had to give up another and Sasuke had given up humanity for vengeance. But now, he believed himself to be ready to pursue something of the 'heart'…

His emotional capability was not something he could brag on about… but it seemed to have finally reached that satisfactory stage that most males seemed to inhibit.

Therefore, He was ready to pursue the 'real' affections of a certain Miss Haruno.

He now fully accepted that having emotions was not a weakness. Now, this was not to suggest that he would make a complete fool of himself acting like Lee or Naruto, but he was ready to embrace these foreign grounds and most importantly, he was ready to embrace his feelings for the oblivious cherry blossom.

Like he said before… _He was ready to do the chasing_.

"...You know that I'm not going to declare pointless love poems like that annoying green thing currently sitting next to Sakura," he declared, quietly noting Naruto's momentary halt from stuffing himself to death. With a knowing smirk Sasuke continued on while toying with his own ramen.

The idiot seriously needed to find a new favourite food.

"And I'll be damned before I make a complete fool out of myself like _you_ do with your precious _Hinata-chan_," Sasuke declared and paused for a brief moment as if to contemplate and carefully compose the final sentence.

Conclusions were, in his opinion, the most crucial aspect of the whole story.

"But, I am prepared to never make her cry like that; **_ever again_**."

* * *

"U-chi-ha-!" Each syllable emphasized with considerable force and yet, the receiver remained unfazed.

"It was _nothing_." Sasuke replied.

Throwing her arms in the air, dramatizing the current situation, Sakura resumed trying to convince the newest ANBU member.

"Oh please! You call Naruto rolling around the floor laughing like a crazy monkey, _nothing_?"

"The idiot is and always will continue to be a crazy monkey!" Sasuke nearly shouted in maximum capacity, instantly regretting his outburst.

The Uchiha Sasuke almost lost his temper because of Naruto? _How degrading_… But she did have a point… A very good point…

Just momentarily stopping himself from embarrassing himself by pulling out his hair in sheer frustration, Sasuke shot across his normal glare of _don't-you-dare-argue-with-me_.

"Just drop it, Sakura," Sasuke finalized the _pointless_ debate and swiftly turned to head towards the Uchiha mansion. Laughter erupted in the dark streets of Konoha as Sakura sprinted towards the retreating figure of the sole-Uchiha survivor. It was still a bit disappointing to find that his methods initiated during his 'bastard-mode' did nothing to faze the new Haruno Sakura.

"Men and their 'guy stuff'…" Sakura mumbled beneath her breath with a smile as she walked along side Sasuke through the cool winter midnight streets of Konoha. But her playful nature subsided gradually as she began to tune in with her surrounding environment. The silent neighbourhood appeared to have surrendered under the spell of the sandman and all that inhibited the grounds were the silent snowflakes.

It was rare to experience serenity in a vibrant village such as theirs…

_...Theirs?_

Sakura suddenly halted while her face betrayed all that of astonishment.

The day Sasuke had left everything behind… She had completely detached him from the safe havens of Konoha by erasing him from all that related him here, her old childish self, her childish infatuations, her meaningless tears…

A shiver erupted from her shoulders to the end of her toes.

She had accepted the fact that Sasuke had changed and that certain aspects of their childhood disaster resorted as being both their faults…

But when had her treacherous mind accepted him to the extent to which she was to refer to the village as theirs? Did she already trust him so?

A squeak escaped her lips when she felt something warm swallow up her shoulders.

"Hurry up, slowpoke. I'll take you home before you freeze in that lab coat of yours." Sasuke stated while pulling her towards the quickest route to her small apartment.

"Gee, there is no need to make yourself sound like a gentleman, Uchiha. My apartment is on your way home after all." Sakura mumbled while burying herself in the warm winter coat. "And it's not a lab coat! It's a medic-nin's coat!"

"Same thing," he stated with too much ease for her taste as he forcefully dragged the protesting kunoichi onwards.

His hand was _warm_…

...It was strange to suddenly notice these little things about the Uchiha. And it was even stranger having her hand held by the once coldest and the most uncaring ninja that had ever existed in all that of Konoha.

Perhaps she was beginning to trust this 'new' relationship with Sasuke.

After all, it just may reach that path towards a great friendship, but until then, Sakura would be content savouring the warmth pooling around her finger tips.


End file.
